Mach Front wrote:I'll never understand why Matt made so many changes (both in keeping more with OD&D and S&W as a 'thing' as well as more art and a very different layout) and didn't bother with noting it was a wholly different printing with a completely separate print date. ...and why in the world he was 'finalizing' it without finding someone who could do better layout in general. Jessie/Verhaden had done layout over the year or two BHP had it and though it was slim with art, it still looked wonderful. I wish Matt had gone to him to work on it one last time. And the nonsense with that cover. Ugh. And knowing you were going to leave it alone for years...indeed...for forever? Huh? There are a number of fans who would likely have taken the time to help and grant their skills, but Matt didn't even reach out. Confusing then. Confusing now.

While he was soliciting review for the final printing of WB, I sent Matt two versions that I had been working on in the background. Both versions were 99% faithful to his final draft - I implemented all of the current errata and cleaned up the layout and art without changing anything. The first version was a faithful, polished clone of his draft, and the second version was the same, but split up into a players' book and a referee's book (I had just chopped the draft down the middle, right after the spells section). The only response I got was "How did you do this?". I replied, but never heard back. I didn't push it... he seemed... annoyed. I still have them, and they were what I was personally using until SW:FMAG came along.

Yeah. This is kinda weird so I too am curious as to the "why"'s.But just to clarify, I'm not saying this in a negative way. Sounds good to me (he said, after he belly-ached too much about the perfectly fine previous name lol).

foxroe wrote:The first version was a faithful, polished clone of his draft, and the second version was the same, but split up into a players' book and a referee's book (I had just chopped the draft down the middle, right after the spells section). The only response I got was "How did you do this?". I replied, but never heard back. I didn't push it... he seemed... annoyed. I still have them, and they were what I was personally using until SW:FMAG came along.

The Wanderer wrote:I would like to know what leaving it to the fans means? Was that discussed at all back then?

The ability to remix and republish, rather than just supporting though supplements and adventures, if I remember correctly. Matt actually posted a thread a while later asking 'well, what have you done with it ?'

Ooohh. You're absolutely correct. I remember that also being a factor/portion of it as well. Yes.And I'd forgotten also about his thread you mention, though I do recall now. Right again.However, considering the license, wouldn't that have been a 'thing' from the get-go regardless? If so, then the question is still begged.

geordie racer wrote:Eric Norred kept plugging away to get WB supported/improved long after most of the initial S&W fans had migrated to Labyrinth Lord (seen as a more stable platform and more accurate clone of Basic than S&W was of OD&D + GH).

I did. Gah. I tried so very hard to "bump" the issue now and again without coming off as a without-a-life-fan-boy. That lie was difficult.

Also, I'm posting because someone who's work I dig just "name-dropped" me. Is...is this what it feels like to be famous?"You like me! You really like me!"No. No, Sally. We don't. We very seriously do not. Sorry.

foxroe wrote:Just out of curiosity, why "The", and why drop "Game"?Also, how beholden to the license would you be if you changed "White Box" to "Whitebox"?

Why add "The"? to change it up just a bit. Also it would be naming the game after a magic item I made for the game. I posted briefly about it on G+ but I'll duplicate it here:

Mythic Magic ItemThe White Box

The White Box was created by two men who were masters of eldritch sorcery. They brought their powers together to create a magical artifact, that would transport the users to other worlds of magic and wonder. It is said no one knows what it is, until they hold it in their hands and discover the magic for themselves. For some the box may appear to be made of wood and for others it may even appear as a book.

So that's about it in a nutshell, but I have thought that it actually might not be worth it. To barely change the name, by just adding "the". Should I drop it?

In regards to removing Game. The subtitle was pretty long, graphically it kinda messes with the new game logo. Shortening it up made it look a lot better, and I didnt think we were losing anything by dropping the game. I think the only argument for keeping it would be to very easily identify the book as a game. Should I keep it?

All things (now? seemingly?) considered and also the fact that WB:FMAG is only just now (and happily has quickly enjoyed) it's own identity, why change anything?Why not keep it as is/was?If a "The" or a lack of "game" doesn't matter in the long run (and if it did, then why not change the name wholesale...that is to say...if not going for something different such as the tossed about "White Wyrm" et al.) then...well...may as well sit comfortably within what has already been solidly established during the last half year. Yes?

I was thinking about it all last night and you are right. There isn't a need to change it because they are too similar. The slight changes to the name were just a holdover from the whole name change process.

Crazy. After all the posts about it and thinking non stop about it. I'm just keeping the name the same. Ha ha that is sunny but not funny.